SALEM, ORE. -- Nikki Franchi (Sr., RHP, Los Gatos, CA/Saratoga HS) threw two no-hitters in three appearances last week. She was 3-0 and struck out 28 batters in 18 innings. Her efforts have earned her Northwest Conference Softball Pitcher Student-Athlete of the Week recognition for the third week in a row.
Franchi recorded the first complete-game no-hitter of her career against Lewis & Clark College on April 1, then added another no-hitter versus George Fox on April 5. WU defeated L&C, 8-0 on the run rule in six innings and downed GFU, 10-0 on the run rule in five innings.
In between, Franchi threw a four-hitter at Lewis & Clark on April. 4, as the 'Cats beat the Pioneers, 5-1. She helped the Bearcats go 6-0 during the week to improve to 21-2 on the season.
Franchi achieved a 0.39 earned run average during the week. She limited WU's opponents to a .069 batting average in her three appearances.
For the season, Franchi is 11-1 with a 1.09 ERA. She has struck out 117 batters in 77 innings pitched. She is WU's career strikeout leader with 518 strikeouts.
Willamette is ranked #11 in the NCAA Division III Top 25 released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on April 8. The Bearcats will host the University of Puget Sound at the WU Softball Field on Friday, April 10, with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. (PDT).
Nikki Franchi went 3-0 during the week, including a pair of no-hitters. She is 11-1 on the season with 117 strikeouts.
